Bristol
Bristol is the northern member of the "big four" in Esparrus, built into and around the Zema Mountain. It is nested between Fellrock to the west, the country of Darvin to the north, Ellery to the east, and Mallard to the south. Bristol is broken into three distinct districts: the Ground District, the Stone District, and the Sky District. Captain Tydrom oversaw the protection of the city for decades, but now Vavith Nosebreaker has been left in charge. Bristol has mixed, but overall positive feelings towards the Heroes of Fellrock. Notable Places (Ground District) The ground district is overcrowded, sure, but there’s a reason people come here in such high numbers. A city of leisure, members of most any race might travel here for the variety of interesting shops and activities. Just about anything can be found on Shop Street, from knickknacks to potions to obscure texts. Sport Street hosts seasonal events and exciting games with exotic prizes. Finally, Snack Street is home to dozens of unique restaurants and food markets with roots all over Vestella. Taverns and inns dot the central blocks of town, and a maze of residential streets wrap around the city several times. Flizz's Odds and Ends (Shop Street) Flizz the hobgoblin has a warm, inviting smile despite the sharp teeth behind it. She sells adventuring odds and ends but notably has a few spellstones as well. The party bought its Light Stone from her, and she still has a Lucky Stone and an Energy Stone for sale. Other Merchants (Shop Street) Halfling Yomita sells weapons, but doesn't know much about them. Hard-of-hearing halfling Erpos sells armor, "but not that gaudy stuff- armor built to WORK!" Human Clement sells potions, and has been known to occasionally mix them up. He tries his best to impress his trainer Blair. Chests of Chance (Sport Street) Long-haired elf Solana charges 5, 10, or 25 gold to play her game. Simply choose one of the three chests before you. If you select the right one you'll win triple what you paid. If you choose incorrectly, however, you win nothing. Better luck next time! Dunk a Dunce (Sport Street) Human Paul is will say just about anything to get you fired up. For 1 gold you can throw a lumpy ball at the small moving target, and if you succeed he'll drop into ice-cold water. If you miss, prepare for further degrading. One of Mars' personalities either worked or at least pretended to work here. Super Sniper (Sport Street) Fast-talking halfling Nevias invites all to try his sniping game. Hit the three targets consecutively to win. The first is 30' away, the second is 75' away, and the final is a whopping 150' away. You can use any non-magic projectile you'd like, but Nevias provides a longbow. Winning this game nets you a magic scope! There are rumors of an all-or-nothing fourth target. Dragon Dice (Sport Street) Extravagant halfling Linrin hosts a dice game of his own invention. If you win two out of three matches against him he'll pay out 20 gold, and he only charges 10 gold to play. He's happy to set up a match between two or more others as well- perhaps to settle a dispute- only asking for 1 gold per player each game. A fat human guard in Linrin's employ quietly stands nearby with arms crossed. The Racing Range (Sport Street) From atop her trusty goat, William, halfling Verris invites all to race her lovely animals. Eight contestants pay 3 gold each to race, and the winner nets 20 gold. Sometimes Verris races, and will pay the second place racer 10 gold in the event that she herself wins. She has horses, a boar, and a large dog. The party played this game once, and Enra claimed first place. Mars, as Roye, performed horribly. The last the party heard, her animals had escaped and she needed help gathering them. Sedaryn's Seafood (Snack Street) Operated by the young philosopher triton Sedaryn, this is the nicest restaurant in the Ground District. A meal typically costs 12 gold, but there's a small chance you'll find a pearl, which will more than negate that cost. The party received 25% off coupons from guards at the west gate upon first arriving in Bristol, and later enjoyed delicious meals. While inside Enra (as a spider on the ceiling) followed a suspicious person into the back and learned that the fresh seafood is conjured by a druid. The party eventually realized that the suspicious person was a goblin in disguise, scouting the place out. The restaurant was targeted by Redd the goblin bandit chief and his troop. The night of the heist came, but the party was able to intercept the goblins behind Sedaryn's before they broke in. The party apprehended nearly all of Redd's two dozen cohorts, but he and a handful of others managed to slip away. He had painted himself green, and another goblin had painted himself red, causing Shaw to nab the wrong guy. Turkey Bros (Snack Street) Fat halfling Panvon owns the laid back Turkey Bros, where a meal goes for around 5 gold. His place is popular with kids and travelers who want something a little cheaper than Sedaryn's. At the end of each day he gives his leftovers to those in need. Fredrick's Famous Fruits (Snack Street) Slow-talking human Fredrick sells a cup of fruit for 1 gold, or something more exotic for 3 gold. His signature Super Citrus grants an hour of immunity to being surprised, and +1 on initiative rolls. It goes bad after about three days, however. Fredrick will not sell to monstrous races. The Bard Bar (City Center) Open in the evenings, the Bard Bar is a great place to relax after a long day. 3 gold gets you in, and there's always live music. Tall, dark, and handsome elf Ruven runs the bar, where ale is 2 gold and a meal is 4 gold. The Lute Troupe- a trio of skilled bards- plays here most nights, but it isn't unusual for touring bands to take the venue for a few nights. Various Inns (City Center) The "Come On Inn" costs a mere 2 gold per night. Ivan stayed here once and found it adequate. There is a chance of getting poor rest here due to loud guests and the occasional leaky roof. "A Pub Above" costs 7 gold per night, and features live acts Friday-Sunday evenings. "The Mad Monocle" costs 20 gold per night, with fine wine available for 10 gold. The rest you get here is arguably worth the price of admission. Spearo Suites (City Center) This large hotel was established by Swarthy Spearo and handed down to his granddaughter Achievement when it failed. Short on gold, she wanted to finally reopen the hotel decades later. She posted an ad on the town bulletin board seeking adventurers. The building was haunted by a malevolent spirit and needed to be cleared out before it was safe to enter. The party took on this quest, which has caused them quite a bit of trouble. Originally, they would have been able to stay here for free for life, but it is unlikely that that's still the case. Notable Places (Stone District) The stone district is much quieter than the others, even if sounds echo down the long, stone corridors. Dwarves and gnomes make up most of the population here, and they spend most of their time toiling away. The best blacksmiths and tinkers in Bristol live here, where there are less tourists and distractions. Though not cheap, their goods are sought out by adventurers throughout Esparrus. Bristol City Blades Hard-working dwarf Meldus sells weapons here. He sold Ivan a magic warhammer and Shaw a magic dagger. He still has a magic handaxe and morning star in his inventory, as well as very large selection of mundane weapons. He can also repair broken weapons. Great Plate and More Dwarf Edria sells pricey but well-made armor. She sold Mars (as Roye) Swift Boots, which granted +5 to her moving speed. She still has a +1 shield in her inventory, as well as an assortment of mundane armors and shields. It is likely that Edria is the daughter of legendary armorer Jennsora of Ulfgar, who taught Ivan everything he currently knows of smithing armor. Edria offered the party 100 gold in store credit if they recover some armor that was stolen from her. Apparently she herself took the armor down the path that leads from the Stone District to The Under. The thing is, Edria was home sick that day. The party accepted this quest and headed down the path. When they encountered an obviously skilled bard they decided to abandon the quest for the time being. About a week later, after being forced into The Under by Captain Tydrom, the party decided to attempt this quest again. They approached the gang living in between the surface and the depths in different forms to avoid being recognized. They talked their way past most everyone, aside from a quick scuffle with Ass the lizardfolk instigator. In the final cavern before the gith door, a drow named Valas sat in some ornate armor. He offhandedly insulted the armor, which set off the invisible Ivan. A fight broke out and Walnut heated up the armor, forcing Valas to doff it. Mars grabbed the armor and the party fled into The Under, leaving Valas and his men enraged. The armor was never returned to Edria. Gadgets and Gizmos Oddly tall gnome Jorzu sells high-tech inventions of his own design in this shop. His goods include noise-making wind-up animals, goggles that grant 300' darkvision, and sending stones that act as walkie-talkies while on the same plane. And then, of course, there are his bombs. Jorzu awarded Ivan three bombs for helping him break off a crystal that he had found clung to a stone wall. The bombs act as a level 5 Fireball spell with a short fuse, but aren't yet for sale. Jorzu later adjusted Captain Tydrom's sending stone to be able to reach out to the party's own. Bristol Barracks and Jailhouse At the heart of the Stone District (and thus roughly equidistant to all parts of the city) lies Vavith's office, previously Tydrom's, which is inside of the barracks. A balcony outside the office overlooks the city and used to be home to the beloved Hippogriff Horace. At least one guard occupies the barracks at all time, partially because it doubles as the jailhouse. The party turned over many of Redd's underlings here, and were also scolded by Tydrom here after he learned of Swarthy's fate. Path to the Under A Bristol city guard always stands before a path that leads down to The Under from the Stone District to monitor who goes in and out. The path slopes downwards until it branches in two directions. The right path drops directly down into the Void. The left path leads to a series of caverns occupied by about a dozen people from Under-Bristol. Originally affiliated with one of the three factions, this gang apparently found a way to make everyone want their heads. Now they live depressing lives in between worlds, interacting only with each other and those passing through. The party retrieved Edria's stolen armor from the gang's boss, Valas, and fled into The Under. The armor never found its way back to her. Notable Places (Sky District) The Sky District is renowned for its beauty. Much of the natural charm of the mountain is preserved here. Teepees and huts stand in place of the more modern buildings of the Ground District. Elves make up the main population here, some claiming it almost reminds them of home. The goods available here follow the theme of the area- mostly potions and magical stones and trinkets. When the party first entered the Sky District they stumbled upon a silk merchant being robbed by bandits. The thieves had climbed up the back of the Zema Mountain to avoid detection, and intended to escape the same way. They used a Silence Stone to keep the merchant from calling out. The party intervened to stop the robbery, but Ivan accidentally stabbed and killed the merchant while aiming for one of the thieves. Both the bandits and the party fled the scene. Six Elixirs With his pet gopher Genori on his shoulder, elderly elf Kelric sells potions that he brews himself. He has health potions, antidotes, Potions of Hill Giant Strength, Potions of Animal Friendship, Potions of Climbing, and Potions of Invisibility. He may be able to take requests, but there's no guarantee on the turnaround. Sylfina's Spell Stones Skinny elf Sylfina buys and sells Spell Stones here. She carries Lucky Stones, Fire Stones, and Wind Stones. She can get certain others, but it may take a while. She also carries single-use Featherfall Feathers, which are great for getting down to the Ground District in a hurry. Up to five people can benefit from a single feather and they only cost 10 gold. The Scaled Seer Blue dragonborn Jesshann is able to speak with and sometimes even revive the dead. There is a chance that her services can fail, but she does not offer refunds. The more recently the target has deceased, the higher the odds of her reaching or reviving them. All or part of the body is require for resurrection. Speaking with the dead costs 50 gold, while resurrection costs 1000 gold to attempt. Jesshann will also give out advice on various things for a smaller price. Jesshann isn't keen on adventurers, and offhandedly made that clear to the party when they sought her out for advice on handing the haunting of Spearo Suites. After the ghost of Swarthy told her what had happened to him, she relayed this information to the guards of Bristol. This resulted in the party being sent into The Under and told not to return to the city except under certain conditions. After the Battle at Fellrock these terms were for the most part redacted. Jesshann also allowed any fallen warriors from the Battle at Fellrock to speak one final time before they drifted into the next. Most of the fallen warriors took this opportunity, requesting that their loved ones celebrate the safety of the kingdom rather than mourn their loss. Tydrom gave a long, powerful speech to the city he had loved and protected for decades. He left Vance and Vavith in charge, with the former set to retire soon after. He also devoted a portion of his speech to the honor of the Heroes of Fellrock. The Sky High The most luxurious inn in all of Bristol, each room features a balcony that overlooks the Ground District and neighboring forests and fields. Rotund human Rolin charges 25 gold per night, and sells fine wine for 10 gold. He promises that you'll awaken feeling significantly better than you would anyplace else. Notable People Captain Thuradin Tydrom (deceased) The former guard captain and mayor of the city, dwarf fighter Captain Tydrom worked day in and day out to keep Bristol safe and sound. Upon learning of The Black, he decided to take responsibility for neutralizing the threat. He planned and set into motion The Battle at Fellrock, which potentially saved Esparrus and Vestella from destruction. He was killed by the queen parasite, but the battle was won. Captain Vavith Nosebreaker Patrolling the city and looking for trouble to terminate, this goliath warrior inherited the title of captain after Tydrom's death. Chief among his shortcomings are his short temper. He is quite the unattractive man, and is said to have often clashed with Vance. His relationship with the Heroes of Fellrock is strained to say the least, but he simply avoided them in the weeks after The Battle at Fellrock. Corbin Rider A young, but remarkably wise halfling who only landed his job as a city guard about a month before the meteor fell on Fellrock. What he lacks in confidence he makes up for in youthful, innocent charm. He looked up to Vance quite a bit in the short time that he worked alongside him. Then, at The Battle at Fellrock, he was able to protect his idol in combat. He thinks highly of the party. Swarthy Spearo Grandfather of Achievement Spearo, founder of Swarthy Suites, and owner of a merchant supplier company, Swarthy was a handicapped tiefling who had some skeletons in his closet. The party discovered perhaps the worst of them- that he paid Zerron to kill a man, his wife, and their child so that he could obtain the last piece of land to finish construction on his hotel. The party kidnapped him and forced him to face the consequences of his actions. His body was hidden in the adjacent forest. Important Events Word of Fellrock's destruction first reached Bristol via the party. Tydrom and some of his men rushed to the site to confirm the party's claims. They returned that evening, distraught. Tydrom's niece had lived there, and on top of that his beloved hippogriff Horace was acting strange. The following morning there was a bit of an uproar as Horace was spotted about halfway up the Zema Mountain, dead, and with a large black horn jutting from his back. The party knows now that he was infected in Fellrock, and spread the disease to the other hippogriffs in Bristol. One of these hippogriffs threw a woman off of its back, killing her. The next day they all flew off to further spread their spores. A flock of infected cockatrice attacked the west gate that same evening, but they were dispatched by town guards. Later that night the parasites matured enough to control the bodies of the cockatrice and began roaming the town again. The party put them down, completing their first fight against infected creatures. The next day Tydrom recruits the party to return to Fellrock and see if the rock can be destroyed or contained somehow. The party finds an infected Relzrureos perched atop the rock and wisely turns back. They are asked to stay put for a few days while a plan is concocted. The following evening a giant, infected buffalo minotaur attacks the east gate. The battle is fierce, but the party and town guards put the beast down. The next day Tydrom asks to party to investigate rumors that Vance is now living in Ellery. He believes Vance will be instrumental in destroying Relzrureos. The party leaves for a few days, completing their mission. Upon their return they are lead by Corbin to Tydrom's office- and warned that he isn't happy. First Jesshan, then Vavith, Tydrom, and many others in town have learned what happened to Swarthy. After much convincing Tydrom agrees to let the party leave under a few strict conditions. These conditions were redacted after the events of The Battle at Fellrock. A memorial service and celebration was held in Bristol after said battle, where Tydrom and many others delivered their final words. Transportation Bristol is so large that it has specialized means of transportation. Traveling on foot from the Ground District to the Sky District or back takes about an hour. To avoid this hike, you can catch the lift that runs up and then back down at sunrise, noon, and sunset each day. Giant couple Krugg and Kartha manually lift the large platform filled with goods and passengers via a pulley system. There is no cost to ride the lift, but the giants appreciate tips. For 1 gold a hippogriff could be rented to quickly fly up or down the mountain. A frequent flyer pass could be bought for 15 gold, which was good for one calendar year. This service was a big draw for tourists, but is no longer available since all the hippogriffs have been infected and killed by the parasite. Finally, for the adrenaline junkies, a Featherfall Feather can be bought from Sylfina's Spellstones in the Sky District to fall safely down from the top of the mountain. Town Bulletin Board Bristol's town bulletin board is rather crowded due to the city's high population. The Heroes of Fellrock completed half of the quests on the board, failed one quest, let one expire, and four were left unanswered. The full list can be found here: Bristol Bulletin Board Relationship with the Party The general population of the town of Bristol likely has mixed to positive feelings about the party. Many of the quests completed from the town bulletin board earned the party respect from the townsfolk. It is known that the party ran several errands for Tydrom, and many witnessed the party fending off the infected buffalo creature. Word of Swarthy's death spread quickly, however, and many likely lost any respect they had for the party. Swarthy was by no means a beloved icon in town, but he was elderly and handicapped- that is to say pretty much defenseless. In addition to this, his crimes are not known to the public. The events of the Battle at Fellrock certainly helped sway many citizens of Bristol back towards approving of the party. In Tydrom's final speech (delivered postmortem via Jesshann) he praised the Heroes of Fellrock, insisting that there are two sides to the Swarthy story, and that their good deeds in Fellrock helped its population to feel safe in their final hours. Vance and Corbin are fans of the party, but Vavith is certainly not- and in the coming weeks he will assume the role of captain of the city. Loose Ends Aside from the quests on the town bulletin board, there were a few loose ends in Bristol. Edria's stolen armor was acquired by the group, but was never returned to her on account of an odd conspiracy unfolding in Nordrake. The gang that lives in between Bristol and Under-Bristol are certainly enemies of the party. That said, they can't really go out of their way to pursue them.